The
Bourgeois and
Hoffmann families were ranchers in
Bexar County, Texas.
Henri Castro's concession of Bexar County land to
J. S. Bourgeois in 1843 led to Bourgeois's immigration to Texas from France.
John Hoffman created an extensive Bexar County
ranch during 1880-1890. John Hoffman and
Julia Bourgeois were married in 1878, bringing
together the papers of the two families.

Papers and photographs relate to French immigration to Texas, land
concession to settlers, and ranching, with the bulk of the material dating
1830-1855 and 1883-1894. The documents are divides into three series: Bourgeois
Family Papers (1830-1871), Hoffmann Family Papers (1876-1938), and Photographs
(1890-1903). Although the collection consists primarily of Hoffmann Ranch
records, the small group of Bourgeois Family papers provide information about
French settlers' concessions of land in Bexar County from Henri Castro.